Heart Rhythm
by MetaBlade
Summary: I've been pushing everyone away out of fear, because I don't want to see their pity. But every day I have to keep living in Mario's shadow, I'm being pushed away from them anyway. (AU where Mario is a musician and Luigi works in a bar for some reason.) (Complete)
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Notes: OK, so this idea came from a conversation I had a while ago in which my sister and I discussed the concept of an AU where Mario is a musician. This story isn't exactly the same idea, but it does involve Mario in a rock band and Luigi (for reasons I forgot) working as a bartender. There are three chapters of this, though it was originally planned to be longer._**

 ** _As is the norm with my stories, there also isn't much plot; it's mostly brotherly love and hurt/comfort._**

 ** _Although this isn't meant to be a long story, I might consider exploring the idea more in the future, especially if anyone is interested in seeing more._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

* * *

 _Chapter 1_

I glanced up at the sound of another group of people coming into the bar. It was a bigger crowd than the last one that had entered - at least fifteen individuals, and by the looks of them, mostly all teenagers and young adults. They chatted incessantly as they walked inside, and began to settle themselves around the room either at tables or leaning casually against the bar, where they could order drinks from me at their leisure.

I sighed low enough to go unnoticed and turned to address the nearest one, a Toad who couldn't have been a day over eighteen. He was wearing some sort of checkered bandanna around his mushroom cap, and I decided it wouldn't be professional for me to tell him just how ridiculous it looked.

'ID, please, sir?'

I passed his drink over the bar after a cursory glance at the card he waved carelessly in my face, wondering privately if he was already a bit drunk; he was certainly acting like it.

If I hadn't known better, I might have been more surprised by how many people had chosen to come in tonight. I knew my customers, and the regular crowd – though still visible if I squinted and surveyed the room closely enough – weren't even the main part of what was here now. But I _did_ know better. And I knew why my little corner of the Mushroom Kingdom, the place known by most as The Spiny Shell, was suddenly so popular tonight.

My brother was coming.

I sighed again, and this time one of the female Toads leaning on the bar heard me and threw over a concerned glance, which I dismissed with a reassuring smile. She must have seen through it - I didn't think I could have convinced anybody - but she just gave me a long, searching look before turning away. She was one of the regulars, and probably knew more about me than anyone else in the room right now. She'd been frequenting The Spiny Shell for long enough that she'd heard the story, out of my own mouth, more times than either of us could remember.

Two years ago, me and my brother Mario had been sharing a house together. We'd been close, as close as two such different people could be. He was a hero, famous for (several times) rescuing Princess Peach from the dungeons of the evil Bowser, a rival King intent on taking over her kingdom.

I couldn't say I'd done the same – nothing even close – but Peach and I had grown to become friends nonetheless. The three of us spent most of our free time together, playing tennis and golf and going shopping around the town, even when Peach's duties in the castle meant her free time became less with practically every passing month.

But that was before Mario had decided to turn to music. Bored with the monotony of his life - however enjoyable it might have been - he'd picked up guitar and mastered it within a year. After that it was one breakthrough after another as my brother, already famous for rescuing the princess, started to write up his own songs and melodies, and the people of the Mushroom Kingdom couldn't help but pay attention.

If you tried to tell me a few years ago that Mario would end up becoming a rock star, I probably would have laughed until I cried. Mario had always been lazy, and a bit fixated with food. He liked spending time with Peach, eating spaghetti, and going for leisurely walks around the kingdom. He'd never seemed the type to get up on stage and bring the house down, electric guitar in his hands as he basked in the screams and applause from the spectators.

It just didn't _fit_ him, didn't fit what I'd grown up knowing him to be.

But that's what _had_ happened. So I had learned to deal with it, whether I liked it or not.

'Hey, Luigi!' a shrill voice called out, and I looked around in time to see my longtime friend Toadette running towards the bar. She climbed up onto a stool so we could talk more easily. 'How's it going?' she said in lower tones. 'I know you don't like how it gets when, well...'

She waved her tiny hands around vaguely to indicate the room as a whole. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she meant.

'It's OK,' I replied.

Apparently she believed me, because she nodded, smiled and reached out to take someone else's abandoned drink, not seeming to care whether this was considered hygienic or not.

'I don't _really_ like how crowded it is...' I added ruefully. 'But... it's what Marie wants. The crowds are good. Everyone will get excited. ...I think it's going to be a long night.'

I said the last part with a bit of a sigh in my voice, but I wasn't sure if Toadette noticed. She was sipping at 'her' soda, while looking over her shoulder at the new people flooding into the building behind her. There seemed to be a long line outside the doors and a massive Hammer Bro ushering people through in singles or pairs. I craned my neck, but couldn't see any hint of a red shirt or blue overalls.

'When's he s'posed to be coming?' Toadette asked, as if she'd been reading my mind.

I shrugged. 'It sort of varies? Usually he's on time, but sometimes...' I trailed off, but she just grinned.

'Hey, you know what they say - it's fashionable to be a little late! Especially if you're a star.'

'Is Mario really a star?' I wondered out loud. 'I mean, he's had a lot of success with his recent songs, but...'

Toadette's grin turned to a more gentle smile as she looked across the bar at me. 'Maybe you don't notice it because you know him so well,' she said. 'But I really do think Mario's a star. He's _famous,_ Luigi, and it's not just from saving Princess Peach from that Bowser guy a couple of times.'

I nodded slowly, absently. 'Yeah... maybe.' _Have I been living under a rock? I knew people loved him – everyone's ALWAYS loved him. But I didn't know his MUSIC was this popular._

The last of the people waiting outside, and probably among the last arrivals of the night, were streaming into the bar now, meaning that the hero himself would probably be arriving soon. The tough-guy Hammer Bro stayed outside to guard the doors.

 _By the Stars, there ARE a lot of people here,_ I thought, with a peculiar feeling washing over me that I could only describe as dazed surprise. Of course, I'd _known_ there were a lot of people here, but to actually sit back and look at them properly, to absorb just how crowded this place was, was dizzying.

Just as I was about to ask Toadette wha _t she_ thought of my brother's music, we heard the purr of a sleek car pulling up outside The Spiny Shell. All of a sudden, as completely as if someone had cut the lights, the crowds fell silent. Dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop; nobody even seemed to be breathing as, like a single creature, all eyes turned towards the doors.

There was a small commotion outside the bar, and then the tough-guy Hammer Bro shuffled sideways to clear the doorway, and a very familiar figure stepped over the threshold. I would have recognised him wearing anything, but the sight of the red shirt, red cap, and blue overalls seemed to strike at me with its familiarity. The only thing about his appearance that was unusual was the pair of dark shades over his eyes, and a second later he took those off, stuffing them into his pocket to reveal laughing blue eyes beneath the brim of his cap.

The deathly lull broke, and noise exploded over my already aching eardrums as the crowd screamed in joy at the sight of their hero. He drank it all in, grinning boyishly as he waved at them. For the first time that night, I could understand and appreciate fully what Toadette had meant. He was famous not just for being a musician, but also for everything else he'd accomplished - everything from saving the princess to helping keep her kingdom safe from their enemies, time and time again. He _was_ a star. He was Mario.

The cheering didn't die down even after nearly two minutes had passed, so Mario set off through the bar, making a beeline for the stage off to one side. I had a good view of it over the crowds' heads, as the floor behind the bar was slightly elevated. Not to mention most of the people in here were Toads, Goombas and Shy Guys.

'I wonder what he's going to perform today?!' Toadette yelled. It was a normal enough question, but the sheer noise around us meant she had to nearly scream in my ear to be heard.

'Probably one of his old songs!' I shouted back. 'He usually plays an old one first.'

I reached across the bar to collect a few empty glasses, watching my brother out the corner of my eye. He ran around the back of the stage and clambered up, looking like a child in his eagerness to play. I noticed he was wearing a guitar slung over his back. As he took it out of the case, everyone could see it was his signature guitar - a bright red electric with an 'M' logo, the same as the one embroidered on the front of his cap.

He hadn't so much as glanced my way since he arrived, and I wasn't expecting him to. I returned to my task without looking at the stage any more, until I was suddenly distracted by Toadette tugging urgently on my sleeve. 'Luigi! He's waving at you!'

My head snapped around. Sure enough, Mario was looking my way and waving, almost sheepishly, while the crowd cheered their approval and impatience. I rolled my eyes exasperatedly and raised my hand briefly in the air. Instantly he turned his attention back to the spectators. This time I watched as he adjusted his familiar guitar in his grip, swept one hand down the strings.

Even from the first note, the audience recognised what he was playing and erupted into more screaming as at the same time Mario launched into the opening riff of a familiar song. I smiled despite myself as I rubbed my ear. It was the first song he'd ever written, and spoke of his love for Princess Peach.

Behind him, the other musicians - mostly volunteers who would have cut off their legs for the chance to play on-stage with the great Mario - started up a thunder of drums and bass to accompany his riff. The glasses on the bar rattled, and I found myself idly wondering how the walls and ceiling of this rickety little building hadn't fallen in yet.

'It's going to be a long night,' I mumbled under my breath.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The early hours of the morning saw me, Toadette, and a couple of her closer friends stumbling home like a group of drunks after a particularly wild party. Only part of that was actually true – there had certainly been a party, and the Toads had obviously been drinking, but the stagger in my steps was caused by exhaustion, not alcohol.

Mario had set out for home nearly an hour ago, but I'd been forced to continue watching the bar until it closed at 2AM. By that point, there hadn't even been many customers around – the majority of the crowds had left soon after Mario did, leaving only me, Toadette, and a handful of regulars with dark circles under their eyes. They were the ones who I knew always stayed late and usually regretted it the next morning. When the pub finally closed and I helped them outside, making sure they all were sober enough to get home without getting themselves killed, they were the only people in Toad Town who looked as worn-out as I did.

The group of Toads following us now were chattering incessantly, their voices sounding too loud in the near-silence of a small town in the middle of the night. Let me tell you, if there's one thing you _never_ want to do, it's get a Toad drunk. They have the worst tolerance for alcohol out of any Mushroom Kingdom species and they're just too stubborn to admit it.

I stumbled over a crack in the pavement, resulting in Toadette putting a hand on my elbow and looking up at me with a concerned expression. I just shook my head and gazed down curiously, trying to work out whether I had two feet or four.

'Luigi,' her voice said. 'My house is the other direction from yours, but I need to know if you can...?'

I looked up, surprised to find us standing at a crossroads. Princess Peach's castle was directly ahead, now hidden behind a set of huge blue metal gates with a star on the front. To the left was me and Mario's house – just mine, now – and to the right was the tiny mushroom cottage Toadette lived in with some of her friends.

'Uhm,' I started, then realised she was staring up at me, the concern on her face growing deeper by the minute. 'I-it's OK. I can make it back fine.'

She didn't look convinced, but after peering at me for a moment longer, nodded and wrapped her short arms around my waist in a hug. 'Just stay safe, OK?' she whispered.

I nodded absently, watching her hurry away with the pack of inebriated Toads staggering and weaving at her heels. I didn't remember I was supposed to be moving until she'd been out of sight for almost a full minute.

Letting out my breath, I turned and headed up the smaller street that led to my house. Toad Town was quiet at this time of night, but that didn't change the fact that robbers and worse still lurked in certain areas, preying on the unsuspecting. I wasn't sure where their usual haunts were, but I wasn't going to take any chances – especially not when I was too exhausted to walk properly, never mind fight off a criminal.

At the sight of the handsome red-roofed cottage in front of me, sitting in a cluster of trees on the outskirts of town, I could almost imagine for a moment that my brother would be waiting for me inside. Asleep, most likely, but still undeniably, reassuringly _there._

I pushed the door open and let myself inside. After I shut the door, I closed my eyes and let myself fall back against it for a few seconds, my entire body trying its hardest to relax against my will. I had been sitting – or standing – behind the bar for so many hours that the feel of something supporting my aching back, even if it was a plank of splintery wood, was almost a blissful one.

Presently, I opened my eyes and stumbled my way across the house until I reached the bedroom in the back. It was pitch-dark, but when I tripped on something and collapsed face-first onto the lower bunk bed, I decided that there was no point in climbing the ladder.

 _Nobody's used this bed in weeks, anyway,_ I mumbled, and fell asleep before I'd even finished the thought.

* * *

 _When are they going to get married?_ I mused. _It's been long enough._

I kept my gaze on the white stone steps under my feet as I climbed them. The interior of Peach's castle was luxurious as always, yet somehow it never looked extravagant or overdone. The simple blue-and-white walls and the plush red carpets were familiar and welcoming, especially as I was coming here to visit someone.

For over a month now, Mario has been living with his not-so-secret love, Peach, here at the castle. He has a very big, very comfortable guest bedroom (though there were whispers that he didn't sleep there most nights, but rather, in someone _else's_ room), and all the food he could wish for. He was clearly still in shock over Peach's invitation for him to live here, and I couldn't blame him. He hadn't been able to say yes fast enough.

But of course, that meant I was now living in our old house alone. Peach had wanted to give me a room in the castle as well, but I suspected she'd offered more out of politeness than anything else. The invitation had been for Mario, to show how much she loved him, and I wasn't going to spoil what they had together.

But still... it had been lonely, these last few weeks.

...And quiet. Before Mario had left, I'd had to listen to him practising his guitar every night until he was exhausted enough that he passed out in the living-room. The sound of screeching rock riffs and solos, accompanied by the occasional growl of vocals barely audible without a microphone, had kept me awake for hours.

But after he left, I'd realised how much I missed the noise. It spoke of him _being_ there – happy to live in a tiny house, with his virtually unknown weirdo of a brother, despite his fame. After he went off to live in the castle, I hadn't been able to sleep for at least three nights because the house was so silent it felt like a tomb.

I felt as if something was missing from my life. But I didn't know what it was. Maybe I was just lonely. Maybe I was too pathetic to survive on my own, to strike out and make a name for myself, the way my brother had.

'Luigi!'

The voice snapped me out of my meandering thoughts; I looked up just in time to stop myself from walking into a tall, elegant figure in a long pink dress. Peach caught my shoulder as I hastily backpedalled, bringing me to an abrupt halt in the middle of the hall. _When did I reach the top of the stairs?_ I thought, startled to not be seeing smooth marble steps beneath my shoes anymore.

'Is everything all right?' Peach asked me, worry evident in her tone. 'You seemed a bit... well...'

'Out of it?' I suggested, giving her a weak smile. 'I probably was. Is Mario here?'

I wanted to change the subject before the princess, who many suspected was too kind for her own good, noticed the dark shadows I felt sure were glaringly obvious under my eyes.

'Of course,' she replied, cheering up instantly. She took my hand and started leading me up the hall, towards the magnificent white door that I knew led into her bedroom. I blinked.

 _Why are we going in here, again?_ But I needn't have worried. As we entered the splendid room, with its great four-poster bed with flower-patterned covers dominating the scene, I spotted the French windows off to my right were open and on the balcony beyond them sat a familiar chubby figure reclining on a wooden chair.

Peach excitedly pulled me onto the balcony with absolutely no regard for the furniture and pieces of décor she nearly upset along the way. 'Luigi's here!' she announced brightly, and I saw Mario's cheerful grin looking every bit as warm as her voice.

'Hey, Bro,' I said quietly, sitting myself down on one of the two vacant garden chairs while Peach took the other one beside me. My gaze wandered over the edge of the balcony to the beautiful view beyond. The rolling green hills with their placidly staring eyes were visible miles outside the town walls, accompanied by the mottled dark-green patch off to the right that was barely recognisable as Forever Forest from that distance. Wildflowers exploded into life across the hills, speckling the countryside with tiny dots of colour that made me think of stars.

Normally there was a little round table on Peach's balcony; it was her own private one, after all, and I knew for a fact that she often held tea parties out here for Mario and, occasionally, small groups of friends. But this morning there was nothing up here except the three wooden chairs and us. Peach surveyed the scenery for a moment, her lips slightly turned up in an unaware smile, content just to be here with her hero. I didn't think me being here had anything to do with the way she looked in that moment; peaceful, relaxed, joyous.

I turned towards Mario, intending to ask him how his concert last night had been for him, only to find him gazing at the princess with a look on his face that almost perfectly mirrored her own. I sighed under my breath and found myself repeating my thoughts from earlier, except more loudly.

'Are you two ever going to get married?'

Mario jumped, and I was certain he hadn't remembered I was there for a moment, his entire attention on the princess. Then he flushed slightly when he realised I must have seen where he was looking.

'Uh, it went great!' he said hastily. 'Everyone seemed really happy to be there, which is great.' He lifted the cup of tea that had previously been balanced on his lap and took a gulp, wiping his mustache afterwards to make sure no traces of the drink had clung to it. 'It was pretty surprising to see so many people there, Bro.'

I wasn't sure whether to be more amused or exasperated. _He really doesn't know how famous he is,_ I thought, remembering what Toadette had said to me last night over the roar of the crowds – the crowds who had come to The Spiny Shell just for a chance to watch Mario perform. Apparently, he'd barely even been aware that everyone was there for _him._

'They liked you, Bro,' he said, careful to keep his tone light and casual. 'You really did it last night. I think that's the biggest crowd I've ever seen in The Spiny Shell!'

He smiled sheepishly and took another hasty sip of his tea. 'I dunno, Luigi,' he said. 'I mean, I know some of them came to watch, but most of them would have come anyway. It's your bar, after all.'

'Really, Mario.' This time it was Peach who spoke, and she looked – and sounded – exasperated. 'You should know by now that nearly everyone in this kingdom loves you! Of course _some_ of those people would have gone anyway, but most of them were there for _you.'_

Mario gave a weak chuckle and scratched the back of his head under his cap, seeming almost embarrassed by all the attention. It was strange, I mused as I watched them both, that the man who could fearlessly jump into lava-filled castles and perform on stage in front of hundreds of people was so shy the rest of the time.

He wasn't timid, of course. Nothing like the way _I_ was – he just tended to be awkward, especially when it came to his own accomplishments. I suppose that's a good thing – nobody really likes a hero with an oversized ego, and I don't think Mario would have become so famous if he spent his time bragging, instead of eating spaghetti and sleeping.

 _Besides,_ I thought, _it's nice to be able to spend time with him like any other siblings, without him always wanting to talk about his successes, or his latest hit song, or the last time he went to Bowser's Badlands to rescue Peach._

When I next glanced up, Mario and Peach were subtly gazing at each other over the rims of their teacups. Their faces were turned towards the view over the balcony, but every now and again I'd catch a glimpse of their eyes flickering in the other's direction, often accompanied by a hint of a smile or, in Mario's case, quickly glancing away and trying to look as if he hadn't looked at all.

I let them carry on for a few minutes before I tentatively broke the silence. 'So, uh, Mario... What are you working on right now?'

He turned to face me, an excitable grin spreading across his face. 'Lots of things! I started writing lyrics to a new song last night, and I have another song that Redspike's helping me with...'

Redspike was a Koopa and the only permanent member of Mario's band. I'd met him a few times, but never really knew whether I liked him or not. He was a calm, laid-back sort of guy, but maybe it was the fact that he'd previously been a member of Bowser's army that made me suspicious of him.

I saw, out the corner of my eye, the way Peach's expression tensed at the mention of Redspike's name. She wasn't a big fan of him either, but tried her best to trust him, because she trusted Mario. Then again, I was pretty sure Mario never put much thought into who he let perform with him.

'Sounds great, Bro,' I said, hoping it sounded enthusiastic enough. 'Uh, if you don't mind me asking...'

'What's up?'

'Well... I was wondering, since as it's your birthday next week, you might like to come stay at our – at my house for the night. We could have a party if you want, and we can invite everyone...'

I trailed off nervously. It wasn't that I thought Mario would scoff at my suggestion. I was more worried that he'd try to find a gentle way to say no, and that might hurt more than if he outright refused.

But his face cleared, and he nodded, his smile fading a little. 'Sure, Bro. I mean, I was sort of thinking about having a birthday gig at your bar...' Now it was his turn to trail off. 'But that's not so important. Really! I'd love to come stay with you, as long as we can invite Peach and all the others.'

I nodded and grinned back, trying to make the expression as sincere as possible. But somehow, even though he had said yes, a part of me felt cold. I'd forgotten all about the special concert he'd been planning for the last couple of weeks.

'Are you sure you don't mind?' I asked. 'If you want to do the concert instead, that's fine. Maybe we can just hang out afterwards...'

'No, Bro,' he said, reaching over to clap a gloved hand on my shoulder for a second. 'I want to.'

'And I want to as well!' added Peach happily. She had been watching the two of us talk for the last few minutes, clearly interested, but her educated upbringing stopping her from butting into our conversation. Now she clapped her hands together eagerly as she smiled at us both. It was the first time she'd looked at me directly since we'd arrived on the balcony together.

Mario glanced between her and me, his gaze lingering on the princess for just a little longer. 'Then it's a plan,' he said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Last chapter of this thing!**

* * *

 _Chapter 3_

I carefully poured out wine into three separate glasses, measuring out a little more for myself. The year I'd spent working in The Spiny Shell had given me a few skills I could name, but handling food and drink was probably the one I was proudest of. I had always been a better cook than Mario (it was one of the only things I _was_ better than him at), but now I had a funny feeling my cooking could rival anyone's in the kingdom.

Picking up all three glasses expertly, I headed out of the kitchen and into the noise and chaos that had, at one point, been my living-room. Now it more closely resembled the inside of The Spiny Shell on a busy Saturday night. At least twenty people were sitting around, either lounging on the armchairs or simply stretched out on the floor. The refreshments table off to one side had been groaning under the weight of all the food I'd painstakingly arranged there not two hours ago, but now it just looked like my kitchen after I hadn't done the dishes in a long while.

Toads were swarming a makeshift dance floor at the far end of the room, while an ancient stereo blasted out a mixture of rock and dance music, most of it Mario's songs. The man in question was laughing his head off at the Toads trying to dance, their small bodies stumbling and falling over themselves in a way that could never be considered elegant.

Despite the chaos, I found myself smiling as I went to reclaim my place on the main couch, handing Princess Peach two of the wine glasses. She passed one over to Mario and sipped at the other thoughtfully. There was a look on her face that told me she wanted to say something, but I had no idea what it might be.

 _At least everyone seems to be having fun,_ I mused. _Sure, it's noisy and crowded, but Mario's here, and Peach is here. It's just like when he used to live here, before he went off to stay in the castle... It's not really the same, though, and it never will be._

I was jolted painfully out of my thoughts by a loud, shrill voice.

'Play for us, Mario!' one of the Toads shrieked, running up to the armchair he was sitting on and poking him irritatingly. Far from being annoyed, Mario chuckled and waved him and his friends off good-naturedly before switching his attention to us.

 _Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Mario never became a musician... Yes, he would have still been famous, but it wouldn't have been like THIS. I only got that job at The Spiny Shell because I couldn't bear to stay in this empty house all day..._

'How's it going?' he asked. His face was honest, open.

 _I just want our old, simple life back._

I met his gaze, saw the lights dancing in his eyes, and knew I couldn't tell him. I wouldn't be the one to ruin his fun; I wouldn't tear him away from the fame he loved so much. I wouldn't be that person responsible for changing things, and not in a good way. And I wouldn't risk pulling him away from Peach by guilt-tripping him into living with me again.

I cast my eyes down. My wine was a nice colour; deep and rich and red. It had come from the bar; my boss had let me have some cheap after he heard how busy things were on the night of Mario's concert.

'Oh, you know,' I said vaguely. 'Pretty good. I just didn't realise there'd be so many guests. Where did you even find them all, Bro?'

His mustache twitched as he stared at me, clearly trying to hold back a bout of laughter. His silence was answer enough. _Anyone_ would have turned up if he'd asked them, simply because he was famous. His biggest problem hadn't been finding enough guests to fill a birthday party; it had been keeping the party secret from everyone else, otherwise there would have been no space to breathe.

In a way, I appreciated that he'd tried so hard to keep the number of guests low. He knew all too well that I didn't like big crowds – in fact, I remember him nearly choking on his drink when I originally told him that I was getting a job in a bar.

Suddenly, I felt a warm hand on my arm, and turned to find Princess Peach gazing down at me, her face worried. I had a sense of deja vu. The last time she had looked at me this way, it had been when I bumped into her in the castle last week.

'Are you _sure_ everything's OK?' she asked me in a voice too soft to carry in the noisy room. A pair of young Toads ran past my feet, yelling their heads off, and I strived to ignore them.

'I guess so,' I said. 'It's just...'

I broke off. If I hadn't been able to tell Mario about my weaknesses, then I couldn't tell her, either. Not only because she might then go and tell _him,_ but because I couldn't stand the thought of her pitying me. I'd never said it to her face, but I respected her more than almost anyone else in the world – as a friend, and as a princess.

'Just tell me, Luigi,' she whispered. 'Please? Mario and I are both really worried. I know something's bothering you; you've been looking this way for weeks. Oh, wait...' She trailed off, her sky-blue eyes suddenly wider than usual, her fingers tightening their already firm grip on my upper arm. 'For weeks. Ever since Mario came to live in the castle.'

I looked away, determinedly not meeting her gaze, pretending I'd been distracted by the group of Toad children playing Twister in front of the kitchen doorway. My mouth tasted bitter, and the gulp of wine I drank didn't seem to help.

I knew I hadn't managed to fool her when her hand tried to gently tug me back round to look at her.

'Luigi,' she said. And that was all she said, but somehow it made me angry. She was waiting for me to spill, to tell her all the thoughts and feelings I'd been locking down since Mario left, since he because a star. She thought that by telling her everything, I'd feel better. But talking about bad things never made me feel better; they just made people look at me with pity in their eyes.

'I'm going to... check the drinks,' I mumbled, and got up and left before she had time to make another grab for my arm, or try to call me back.

I stepped over the Twister mat spread out on the floor, the Toad children having abandoned it in favour of pestering Mario instead. I was relieved, but also strangely bitter, that no-one – not even Peach – got up to follow me as I stepped through the kitchen doorway. Surely if she cared that much, she wouldn't have let me walk away like that?

But maybe it was my fault too. No, I _knew_ it was my fault. I just couldn't trust anyone enough to let down my own damn barriers and _tell_ them about my problems, all because I was terrified of looking even more pathetic than I probably did already, because I couldn't bear for my friends to pity me, or want to protect me. I was an adult; I could take care of myself.

 _Except I can't,_ I thought dully. _Everything that's happened to me in the last year has happened because I couldn't deal with Mario leaving. Ever since he became famous, I've been pushing everyone, especially him, away. This is what I get for acting like a wimp._

The kitchen of my house was warm, blissfully so, with the little fire in the corner happily sending smoke billowing up through the chimney. The row of glasses standing on the work surface, glinting amber in the light from the flames, reminded me of my place in The Spiny Shell, and this did nothing to improve my mood. _I only got that job because there was nothing else to do,_ I grumbled as I reached for the half-empty bottle of red wine. _Mario was right to worry – I can't cope with being surrounded by people every day._

I measured the drink out with a practised motion, then raised the glass to my mouth and took a sip that tasted like drainwater. Just as I was about to pour the whole lot down the kitchen sink, I heard a footstep by the doorway and a familiar voice that sounded both worried and amused.

'What's going on, Luigi? That's the third time you've left the room in five minutes.'

I let out a small sigh. 'Sorry, Mario.'

'Nothing to apologise for. Just tell me what's bothering you.' I hadn't turned around yet, but I could still hear Mario's movements, hear him walking over the threshold and then pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the kitchen counter. 'Tell _us_ what's bothering you,' he corrected himself. 'Peach told me she's worried, too.'

I almost wanted to grind my teeth together, but resisted the urge and just said, 'Is that all I am to you and Peach? Something to worry about? Because I already knew that; you don't have to tell me again.'

There was a short silence, and in my mind's eye I pictured Mario's eyebrows shooting up with surprise.

'You can't really think that, Bro?' He phrased it like it was a question, not a statement.

'Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. Does it matter?'

 _'Yes,'_ he said insistently. 'Because you're my brother, and Peach is your friend. And so is Toadette. She might not be here tonight, but I've seen her recently, and I know she's worried.' He hesitated, but I sensed he wanted to carry on, so I didn't interrupt. 'I know you can take care of yourself just fine, and I'm not worrying because I think you're – an idiot, or stupid, or anything like that. You're my bro.' And he said that last part as if it explained everything.

In a strange way, it did.

I finally turned around, pressing my back against the other kitchen counter and eyeing him from under my cap. It had become an unconscious – and probably bad – habit of mine to pull my cap's brim down low enough to hide my face, or at least cast it into shadow. I sighed again and reached up to tilt the hat backwards on my head.

'I know... I know _you_ don't think I'm pathetic,' I said at length.

'Hmh,' was the only reply.

'But I feel like... other _people_ think that.'

'Nobody thinks that, Luigi. Or, if they do, it's not something you should be worrying about.'

'And sometimes _I_ feel that way, too,' I finished.

He tilted his head back and looked at me with wide blue eyes. 'Does this have anything to do with me leaving?' he asked, after a long, uncomfortable silence.

I turned my head away, staring at the toaster on my left as if waiting for it to pop up. It didn't.

'So it is,' Mario breathed. The tone of his voice was strange; some mixture of exasperation, relief, and wonder. 'Peach was worried something really bad had happened to you that you weren't telling us about, but...'

'Yeah,' I said, unable to keep the bitter edge out of my words this time. 'It's nothing serious at all. It's just me being a weakling. Mario,' I said quickly, just as he was opening his mouth to reply, 'you don't have to come back or anything. The reason I never told you this was because... the last thing I want is to ruin your life. And you have a great life, Bro.'

There was a thump of shoes meeting tiled flooring as he dropped down from the top of the counter. That was the only sound I heard, besides the background ruckus caused by the party, before he stepped right up to me and grabbed me in a rough embrace.

As friendly as he was to... well, everyone, Mario had never been demonstrative. Even Princess Peach holding his hand or giving him an innocent kiss on the nose invariably made him blush and stumble over his words. Neither of us liked being openly affectionate in public, either; it was practically the only part of him that was similar to me.

So it was a rare thing for him to suddenly decide to hug me, or Peach, or anyone. That was why I couldn't do anything other than freeze in shock when his arms tightened around me.

'Do you honestly think that?' he growled, and for the first time since he'd followed me into the kitchen to talk to me, he sounded angry. 'You think that you're only here to... to ruin my life? Do you think that _anything_ you do could possibly ruin _anything_ for me?'

He released his hold on me and stepped back, but he was still close enough that I could see the anger dimming behind his eyes, like a stormcloud receding into the horizon; less threatening than before, but still very much there.

'Why should I think differently?' I said. 'Look at this, Mario.' I lifted my hands and tried to indicate, not just the room we were standing in, but the universe as a whole. 'You're famous. You're loved. Everyone wants to see you all the time. You'd be rich if you decided to charge people for listening to your concerts and buying your songs. And you live with the princess!'

Mario looked momentarily nonplussed, and for a split second I thought he was going to say something; then his gloved hands clenched into fists and the anger behind his eyes seemed to solidify. It was a rare thing to see Mario in a bad mood (it was one of the many things Peach loved him for), but when he was, he didn't even need to speak out loud; just looking at him was intimidating enough.

'If you gave up your music career to spend more time with me, everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom would hate me!' I pressed on. 'And if you left Peach to live here again, against your will, then you would resent me for the rest of your life. You might never say it, but I'd _know.'_

 _'Stop.'_ Mario was breathing heavily, but after I fell silent, he closed his eyes for a few seconds, visibly making an effort to push back his anger. He knew that getting in a rage was never the best way to deal with a problem.

I slowly let out my breath in an exhalation too soft to be called a sigh. 'Well, now you know why I never told you or Peach any of this. I don't _want_ you to come back. I want you to be happy, living your life, and I was worried that if I told you how... how I was feeling, you'd insist on coming back. I wouldn't be the person to make your life harder than it needs to be.'

Mario's arms started to go up, and for a moment I thought he was either going to hit me or try to hug me again, but then they dropped back to his sides. He sighed, his breath ruffling his mustache. I didn't know what to do. I'd said my part, said everything I'd wanted to plus a lot more, and now the silence was nothing but uncomfortable.

'Listen, Luigi,' he said at last. 'I understand why you didn't want to say any of this. But you still should have. I'm your brother; it's my job to look out for you. And Peach would have listened, too.'

'A-and what if I don't want anyone looking out for me?' I asked, knowing I sounded childish but hardly caring.

'I would have anyway.' Mario hesitated, cocking his head slightly to one side as a particularly loud shriek from the Toad children emanated from the living-room, accompanied by a surge of music as the stereo was cranked up full blast.

'And what about _your_ life?' I shot back. 'Your music? Your fans? Peach?'

He shook his head slowly. 'Living here with you wouldn't change anything between me and Peach. And I know she wouldn't have a problem with it. She loves you as much as I do.' He said the last part in a low voice, sounding embarrassed to admit it.

'And your music?' I repeated.

'I can still play music, can't I? I was doing that long before I left this place, anyway. I used to keep you awake all night playing guitar. I'd have thought you'd remember that.'

A weak, half-forced chuckle came out of me before I could stop it. It wasn't because I was amused by what he was saying. It was because I now realised, with a feeling of shame, how stupid I'd been these past weeks. Shutting everybody out, even my closest friends, because I couldn't trust them to do the right thing.

I hadn't told Mario because I hadn't wanted him to give up his life for me, but I should have realised he'd find a way to accomplish everything anyway. He was _Mario,_ the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. If he wanted something done, then he'd damn well manage to do it.

'Sorry,' I said, in a low voice, once I'd gotten the horrible fake chuckle to go away.

Mario was adjusting the brim of his cap, looking both pleased and with a lingering hint of embarrassment. 'Like I said, there's nothing to apologise for,' he said gruffly. 'I'll come back and live here. I was an idiot to leave in the first place – I love this place as much as you do. It was just, Peach asked me to go with her, and-'

'I know,' I said, raising a hand to stop him saying whatever he was planning to say next. _I really do know._ 'You _had_ to say yes. It's the closest she's come yet to asking you to marry her.'

He watched with some satisfaction as Mario tried and failed to splutter out a coherent response. 'Wh... Why... We're not getting married!' he finally managed. 'Ever.'

I raised one eyebrow. 'That's a shame, 'cuz I was sure you two really liked each other.'

He gave me a playful whack on the shoulder, which still hurt almost as much as if he'd meant it. 'C'mon. We're going back to the party, and once some of the guests have gone home and we can hear ourselves think, I'm going to tell Peach I'm moving out.'

I stopped rubbing my sore shoulder. 'Are you really sure, Mario?'

'Of course I'm sure,' he replied. Then he sobered a little. 'But you know nothing else is gonna change, right Bro? I don't want to give up on my music or visit Peach. That's still going to happen, the only big difference is that I'll be living here with you again.'

Now it was my turn to hit him, and he made more of a fuss than I had, yelping and jumping back as if I'd thrown a fireball in his face. 'Idiot, of course I don't want you to change any of that. After all the years I've wasted trying to get you and Peach together, there's no way I'm going to try and _stop_ you from seeing each other every day.'

He grinned sheepishly. 'All right. Now come back into the other room already. I'm starving.'

He walked out of the kitchen, and I followed without thinking about it, wincing a little as the full noise of the party hit me with renewed force. Before we could really get into the living-room, Mario suddenly drew to a halt and looked around at me, his expression more thoughtful than I'd seen it in a long time.

'Hey, Luigi...' he started.

'What is it?'

'Well, I'm looking for a bass player for my next concert. Redspike's leaving. And, well, I know you're not really a musician, but I'm sure I saw you play once, and you weren't that bad-'

'Mario,' I sighed, 'just spit it out.' _I already know what you're about to ask, and I'm sure I'm not going to like it._

'Well, I was just wondering if you might want to perform with me next week.' Mario shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. 'I can help you practise so you'll be ready in time, and... Can you just give me an answer?'

I almost laughed at his nervousness, but sobered and replied, 'I'd love to, but... what if I mess up? And I'm never going to be good enough. Redspike was great – everyone loved seeing him perform up there with you. If you replace him...'

'I don't have a choice. He's going on vacation and won't be back until the day after the concert. I need someone to stand in for him.'

'And when he comes back?'

'I...' Mario hesitated, looking down and scraping his foot along the floor. 'I don't know, Luigi. Maybe he won't even want to come back. But whether he does or not...' He trailed off uncertainly, but I knew what he was trying to get across.

I thought about it while the silence drew out. _Why not? Sure, it might go horribly wrong, and sure, I might make an idiot of myself, but maybe it will be fun..._

'Oh, and another thing,' Mario said suddenly, looking up at me with an amused grin. 'Daisy's visiting from Sarasaland. She said she'll be able to stay long enough to watch the concert. How about it, Bro?'

I gave him a glare that was only half-playful. 'Did you invite her over just so I can humiliate myself in front of her?'

'That won't happen,' he said confidently. 'You're already decent at playing bass, and I'll train with you every day so nothing will go wrong. And... it'll be fun, Luigi. You'll enjoy it. Being up on stage like that, with the crowd cheering for you, singing along with you, and the thunder of all the instruments behind you...'

Even so, I wasn't sure I'd ever fully understand why Mario loved performing so much. I didn't think it was the fame that drew him to music; it was the innocent joy of seeing other people _enjoying_ what he did. Enjoying his music, his songs.

I was no musician, but if he wanted to try and show me a little bit of that joy he had, I'd be an idiot to refuse.

'OK, Mario,' I said, still certain I was making a mistake. But I'd decided I would rather regret something I'd done than regret something I hadn't done. 'I'll do it, but just for this one concert. Just until you get Redspike back.'

He grinned and clapped a hand on my shoulder. 'Thanks. You won't regret it, Luigi. I'll make sure you don't.'

 _It doesn't matter,_ I thought as I let him drag me into the living-room to rejoin the party. I felt happy for the first time in what seemed like years. I'd finally told Mario everything, and I hadn't ruined his life or his shining career. He'd been understanding. And he'd invited me to join him at the concert, to give me a chance to experience what he did on a regular basis.

Even if I messed it up and made a fool of myself, I knew I'd be happy just to spend time with him, up there on stage with everyone cheering for us. I thought I'd be stuck in his shadow until the day I died – and maybe I still would be – but at least I knew I wasn't going to be forgotten by the people who mattered to me the most.

And, of course, Daisy would be there. That counted for something.


End file.
